Photographic developer tank liquid circulating system



Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MONROE H. DANIELS, OF HEWLETT AND JOHN A. SLACK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO IHO'IOMATON, INC., OF NEW YORK, Y. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PHOTOGRAIHIC DEVELOIER TANK LIQUID GIRCULATING SYSTEM Application filed March 20, 1929. Serial No. 348,399.

developing, washing and other treatments.

In order to maintain the chemicals cool, coils or bends of pipe may be placed in the chemical tanks and water circulated therethrough.

In the washing tanks water may be sprayed onto the moving strip. In prior devices of this kind the water after the washing operation passes to the bottom of the tank to be is the primary object of the present invention to conserve this water by recirculating a proportion of it in such manner as to maintain a required purity of the water which is actually sprayed or otherwise applied to the sensitized strip, and the cooling water also is utilized, after the cooling operation, as means for raising the purity of the water leaving the washing tank.

A further and very important function of the recirculating system is that it automatically equalizes the temperature in the chemical solutions and in the wash water so as to protect the emulsion on the strip from sudden temperature changes.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompany drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a partial elevation, largely schematic, of a developing tank casing, the division walls of the tanks being indicated by dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing A indicates a thence carried away through drain pipes. It

developer tank casing, six compartments or tanks being shown separated by the division walls 1, three of the tanks, to wit those indicated-at 2, 3 and t being washing tanks. Each washing tank at its base communicates with a pipe 5 leading to a manifold 6. Manifold 6 communicates with a pipe 7 connected with a branchpipe 8 discharging at 9 into the base of supply tank 10. Branch pipe 8 also communicates with a discharge pipe 11. By closing valve 12 and opening valve 13 the washwater from tanks 2, 3 and a will be caused to flow through pipe 8 and into tank 10, a reverse adjustmentbf the valves causing water to flow directly into the discharge I pipe 11.

The cooling coils have been shown diagrammatically at 36, Fig. 2. It will be under stood, however, that they will be located in the chemical tanks intermediate the wash tanks and that the water, after circulating, will be discharged into the manifold 6.

Within the tank 10 and above the level of the discharge end of pipe 8 is the intake 14: of a pump 15 discharging through valve control outlet 16 into pipe 17. Pipe 17 is provided with a control valve at 18 and thence extends to a branch pipe. 19 provided with a valve control 20. Branch 19 is connected by pipes 33, 34 to the discharge members, such as atomizers 35, located within the washing tanks 2,3 and 1.- "Above branch pipe 19 is a pipe 1700 which may be connected to pipe 17 was leading to the cooling coils for the chemical tanks. A valve 21 may be provided for shutting ofi' pipe 17% from pipe 17.

A 'fresh water pipe 22 is provided which communicates via pipe 23 with a pipe 24 extending within the tank and connected to a discharge nozzle 25 having its discharge end located at the base of tank 10. The discharge nozzle is controlled by a valve 26 actuated by a lever 27 through the movement of a float 28. Within tank 10 near its open end is an outlet duct 29-communicating with a discharge pipe 30. Duct 29 is below a larger discharge duct 31.

In the operation of the device duct 29 will be proportioned, as to outflow of water within tank 10, in accordance with the fresh water admitted through pipe 25 and the flow of fresh water can be controlled by a valve 32 in pipe 24. The action of pump 15 in withdrawing water from tank 10 and passing it to the spray tubes and cooling coils will be proportioned to the flow of water from the Washing tanks and cooling coils through pipes 5, 7 and 8 and thence into the tank. It will also be understood that the constant flow of cool water into the tank will cause constant reduction of the temperature of the wash and cooling water entering the tank through nozzle 9. The warmer water discharged into the tank through nozzle 9 will have a tendency to rise through the cooler surrounding water and a proportion of it will be drawn off through duct 29 for discharge via pipes 30 and 11. In practice, hoW- ever, a greater proportion will remain in the tank being circulated upward and downward by the thermal action to be passed by the pump back for the washing and cooling operation.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows 1. In apparatus of the character described, in. combination with a developer tank having compartments for wash liquid and chemicals, of a reservoir tank, means for circulating liquid from the reservoir tank to the wash liquid compartments and thence back into the reservoir tank, means including cooling conduits for, circulating liquid from the reservoir tank to the chemical compartments, and thence back into the reservoir tank, means for constantly withdrawing a predetermined amount of liquid from the reservoir tank, and means for constantly admitting a compensating amount of liquid to the reservoir tank.

2. In apparatus of the character described, in combination with a developer tank having compartments for chemicals, and a reservoir tank, means including a cooling conduit for circulating a cooling liquid from the reservoir tank to the developer tank in which the conduit is projected and thence back into the reservoir tank, means for withdrawing a predetermined amount of liquid from the reservoir tank and means for admitting a compensating amount of cooler liquid thereto.

3. In apparatus of the character described, in combination with a developer tank,'and a cooling member therein for receiving and enclosing a cooling liquid, of a reservoir tank, a conduit for the passage of liquidv from the cooling member in the developer tank to the reservoir tank, a conduit for the passage of liquid from the reservoir tank to the cooling 

